When to Dry Clean Your Suits

Suits are considerable type of attire that requires time, effort, and money for maintenance. Good quality suits need to be looked after and cleaned properly. A man’s suit is usually the most expensive item in their wardrobe. If neglected, menswear suits can fray, pill, or be damaged and you may end up losing money or needing to replace them sooner than expected. This is why one should indulge in maintenance such as dry cleaning.

Dry cleaning is the best and simplest method to clean, maintain, and repair your suits. Knowing how and when to dry clean your suits can be important for professionals. It doesn’t matter if your suit is bespoke or off-the-rack, dry cleaning works for all kinds and types of suits.

Dry Cleaning uses a liquid solvent by the name of Perchloroethylene (or Perc) to remove dirt and oils from fabrics. Dry cleaning shops and businesses can be found across the world tailored for all kinds of clothes. They will provide you with questions about your fabric, cloth item, stains, etc and you need to offer what you are looking for. Dry cleaners inform you about the possibility of stains being removed or diminished.

There is no exact time or science to predict when your suits should be dry cleaned. Most of us make the mistake of either going too often or not often enough to the dry cleaners. Generally, you should be getting your suits dry cleaned when brushing, spot cleaning, or airing it out won’t do the job. Some stains need immediate attention so be careful about spills or stains. You can also determine the need for dry cleaning depending on your use. If you wear a suit every day to work, then getting your suits dry cleaned once a fortnight or a month is a good idea. For those who wear suits on occasions and events, you can dry-clean them before and after the event.

Excessive dry cleaning can damage the fabric of your suit. Perc can strip wool fibers of natural oils. This causes the fibers and the cloth to become brittle. The brittleness will give your suit a worn-out look and shorten its lifespan tremendously. Hence, one should be extremely careful about the number of times they get a particular suit dry-cleaned.

It is a good idea to research the dry-cleaners before you select them. Ask your colleagues or friends for any recommendations. Good dry-cleaners have the patience and skill to answer your questions. They also have extensive knowledge of fabric, cloth, and textures. They can tell you when to come in or how to get rid of certain stains. Inquire if they do their dry-cleaning in house or send it to a larger facility. Items or clothing tends to go missing from cleaners and if you know their capabilities, you can be better informed before making a decision. Smart dry-cleaners will mark the spots and stains when you hand them the garment. They will also note it down in your receipt. You should also indicate if there are any loose buttons or hooks.

Dry-cleaning is usually the last resort and way to take care of your suits. There are several things you can do between visits or yourself to keep your garment in top shape. Always have 3-4 suits in rotation if you need to wear a suit daily for work. Wearing the same suit can increase the damage and wear it out quickly. It will also make you look shabby and unprofessional. Use a steam cleaner instead of an iron to press your suit. A steam cleaner is small enough to carry on trips and can be used just before wearing the suit. It will remove any wrinkles and create a perfectly ironed and crisp suit. Set the steam to the lowest heat settings. Have a cloth brush ready to brush off any food, dust, or dirt particles. Start by going against the grain of the cloth and use short but quick strokes. Finish with a second pass that goes with the grain and smooths over any missed spots. Your suits should always be hanged after wearing on a wooden hanger. Hanging the suit ensures the material recovers and drapes the wrinkles between uses. One can also have a cloth cover or protector to protect the suit from moisture, weather, and other conditions in the closet.

Natural fabrics like wool or linen require less dry-cleaning compared to artificial or polyester fabrics. The creatine in wool works as an anti-bacterial and prevents unwanted scents. Pants can be worn an average of 3 times before washing or dry cleaning while jackets can be worn an average of 6 times. Of course these numbers are subjective to the weather, your job, external conditions etc. For suits that feel musty or smell, you can just iron them instead of getting dry-cleaned. Trust your instinct and rely on dry-cleaning rarely but smartly.